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Amazon.co.uk Review
He may have been dubbed "the people's tenor", but Watson is at his best--and most comfortable--at the lighter end of the repertory. He sings the lilting "That's Amore" with charm and humour, a smooth performance which compares to Robbie Williams on Swing When You're Winning.
Nicholas Dodd's swooning orchestrations give Reprise a grandiose feel. Sadly, Watson's voice cannot match their intensity; his version of the famous duet from The Pearl Fishers (yes, he sings both parts) sounds strangled and his performance of "Core 'ngrato" is distinctly unmemorable.
Watson is credited as Reprise's producer. If he maintains that role on album number four, he should concentrate on the light songs and ballads, which he performs so well, in this instance not just "That's Amore" but also "The Living Years", "I don't know how I got by" and "The best that love can be". --Rebecca Agnew
Review
"This album has something for everybody", boasts the sleeve notes of this, his third album. Its range is wide indeed, from operatic aria to rock fantasy via Neapolitan love song and pop ballad. As the title suggests, this is very much a well-trodden path, nothing startlingly new, and plenty more of the tried-and-tested Watson formula.
Best are Watson's irresistible renditions of popular Italian classics: "Torna a Surriento", "Santa Lucia" and "La Danza". Watson's orotund voice is complemented by swooning strings, lush orchestration and gloriously cheery tempi, conjuring the Med, lemon trees and a large dollop of la dolce vita straight into your living room.
The operatic pieces are also more than adequate. Watson tackles arias from 'Rigoletto', 'Tosca', 'The Pearl Fishers' and 'Pagliacci' with considerable aplomb. He may lack the taste, subtlety or finesse of classically-trained singers. But he has a grand set of lungs, vocal agility in mastering the French and Italian lyrics, and more than enough personality to make Bizetas accessible as Blue.
But Watson's covers of more recent pop tunes are heinous. Mike Rutherford's "The Living Years" and Chris De Burgh's "The Best That Love Can Be" are sub-Pop Idol offerings which do not even flex Watson's heroic vocal chords.
Worst of all is a rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody". Creeping along at the lugubrious pace of its synthesized backing-track, this is idle, copycat rock posturing which Watson does not need to indulge in. We have 'Stars in Their Eyes' for that sort of thing.
Watson'sreal strengths lie in popular interpretations of light opera and showstoppers; he's the Josef Locke of his generation. This album tries to be all things to all manner of folk without succeeding in pleasing anyone entirely. A bit like a UN ambassador. --Morag Reavley
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Customer Reviews
The most beautiuful classical arias ever composed blended with popular love songs and two incredible duets. Torna a Surriento is the first track and one hell of an introduction to this album, you are instantly transported to Italy and swept away in the emotion of Russell's outstanding voice. Granada,Recondita armonia and Questa o quella mix perfectly with Santa Lucia. then Russell changes tactic and the voice changes "Nothing sacred" the Jim Steinman classic and the tears flow, this song is being released as a charity single next month.Core 'ngrato is absolutely stunning, breathtaking, the beauty and power of Russell's voice, richer and deeper than ever, this has to be the highlight of this album. Bohemian Rhapsody is a fantastic cover of the Queen original, even Freddy Mercury would love this. Vesti la guibba is the finale, and you feel the raw emotion, the despair and pain. Russell Watson has produced a truly amazing album. The production, the orchestration and finish is perfection, the sound - very "HOLLYWOOD", stunning
polished, finished to perfection.
I did wonder how Russell would manage to follow ENCORE, well he has outdone himself here, REPRISE
words fail me
ENCORE RUSSELL!!!!!!!!!!MAGNIFICO!
If you like Russell Watson you will love this album.....if you have never heard him sing buy it you`ll be hooked I can promise you this.5 stars?? well it`s at least a 10 for me!!!!!
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